Cape Horn Trail may be closed/Peregrines

[billcoe]

 

 

"By Allen Thomas | The Vancouver Columbian • Published April 01, 2009

 

 

Future of popular Cape Horn trail is up to Forest Service

 

STEVENSON – The U.S. Forest Service says it will announce by summer the future of the scenic Cape Horn trail in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

 

The agency has vetted four alternatives for the 7.8-mile route, which was created by hiking enthusiasts on federal land and private conservation trust lands over the past decade in western Skamania County.

 

The trail starts at the park-and-ride lot at the junction of state Highway 14 and Salmon Falls Road and climbs to Pioneer Point atop Cape Horn. It then drops to spectacular bluffs above the Columbia River and passes underneath a waterfall before ending at the bottom of Cape Horn Road.

 

Hikers then must walk 1.3 miles up the road to complete the loop.

 

"It's become a popular place,'' said Stan Hinatsu, recreation manager for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. "It's likely to become more popular.''

 

But several problems exist with the current trail location, he said.

 

Among the troubles are poorly designed switchbacks, viewpoints and wet-area crossings, but, most importantly, the trail's proximity to a peregrine falcon nesting site.

 

The four alternatives identified by the Forest Service include:

 

• No action

 

• The existing trail would not be designated as a formal Forest Service trail, although some work to fix problems would be necessary.

 

• Seasonal closure

 

• The current trail would see some rerouting, plus there would be parking areas at Canyon Creek and Strunk roads; two underpasses of Highway 14; viewpoints at Pioneer Point and Cigar Rock, and a bridge to avoid passing underneath the waterfall.

 

But this alternative includes closing the portion of the trail south of state Highway 14 from Jan. 1 through July 31 to avoid disturbing the peregrine falcon nest.

 

During the closure, signs and barricades would be placed at state Highway 14 and Cape Horn Road, Hinatsu said.

 

The Forest Service would patrol intermittently, initially issuing warnings, but eventually citations, he said.

 

The bluffs and waterfall part of the trail south of Highway 14 would be eliminated. A portion of the trail south of Highway 14 would remain, plus the stretch north of Highway 14 leading to the parking spot at the junction of Salmon Falls and Canyon Creek roads.

 

The trail would not connect to the park-and-ride lot on Highway 14.

 

The portion of the trail south of Highway 14 would continue as far as the waterfall. Hikers then would have to retrace their route back to parking at Strunk Road, Canyon Creek Road or Highway 14.

 

David Anderson, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, said the Cape Horn peregrine nest site is one of three on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.

 

Pergrines are no longed listed under the Endangered Species Act, but are a sensitive species, he said.

 

"We don't know at what level of disturbance will cause these birds to abandon a site,'' Anderson said.

 

The sites are not monitored annually, because of staffing limits, he said. The Cape Horn site was checked most recently in 2006.

 

Dan Huntington, a leading advocate of the Cape Horn trail, noted that since 1982, Washington has had great success in recovering the peregrine population.

 

Anderson countered that in the gorge the recovery largely has been on the Oregon side, which has more open cliffs and shady nesting sites, which are preferred by peregrines.

 

"We're looking at half a trail half the year,'' Huntington said.

 

Darryl Lloyd of Hood River said the Highway 14 roadside public viewpoint, with its constant flow of people getting out of their cars, is closer to the falcon nest site than the trail below.

 

Dan Harkenrider, scenic area manager, said the Forest Service will analyze the alternatives and issue an environmental assessment in May.

 

That will be followed by a 30-day comment period, then his final decision.

 

Harkenrider's decision can be appealed to the Forest Service regional office in Portland.

 

"It's not an easy choice to make,'' Harkenrider said. "It's not a choice of right or wrong.''

 

from http://www.theolympian.com